How To Reheat Nachos - The Best Ways

Who doesn’t love a huge bowl of nachos?

Warm, crispy tortillas topped with all the delicious gooey flavors of guacamole, salsa, sour cream, and of course, nacho cheese.

You’ll most likely eat all the nachos the first time, but if you have any left over, you’ll want to reheat it for maximum enjoyment.

So what is the best way to reheat nachos? You can reheat the nachos in a variety of ways, such as in the oven, in the air fryer, or by using a skillet. Reheating the nachos in the oven is the best way to prevent them from getting soggy.

We’ve got all the information you need on how to reheat nachos, including our top tips and mistakes to avoid. Keep reading to know more.

What are nachos?

We believe that nachos are one of life’s true pleasures. This delicious dish was created in northern Mexico in the 1940s and is named after its creator, Ignacio Anaya.

We think Ignacio (Nacio for short) deserves a medal or something for coming up with this simple yet delicious flavor combination.

The simplest and purest form of nachos consists of plain tortilla chips topped with cheese and jalapeño peppers. They are heated in the oven until the cheese melts on the tortillas.

The tortilla chips should be thick and crisp, able to lift the sticky cheese coating without breaking.

Jalapenos are thinly sliced to add a bit of heat and flavor to every bite. If you don’t like heat, opt for a milder pepper, such as sliced bell pepper.

Instead, if you’re a fan of spiciness, you might like a fiery little habanero chili or Scotch Bonnet.

As for the cheese topping, you need something that melts easily, like Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Mozzarella. You can also find nacho cheese sauce at most grocery stores.

Today, the range of nacho toppings has been greatly expanded from the original creation.

Now you can find nachos with sour cream, guacamole and salsa. Some people also add a meat topping, such as pulled pork, chicken, chili beef, steak, or chorizo.

Just remember that if you are going to add different toppings, some of them should be added after the nachos come out of the oven.

Cold dips, like sour cream or guacamole, are best served this way: straight from the fridge.

And when it comes to adding meat toppings, make sure they are fully cooked before adding them to the nachos.

Traditionally, nachos were served as an appetizer, usually to share with friends. Imagine relaxing in the Mexican sun, enjoying a cold beer with friends and sharing a plate of nachos – pure bliss!

However, today nachos are also eaten as a main meal and are often enjoyed as part of a movie night with family and friends.

Why do you need to reheat the nachos?

Okay, we know that sounds unlikely, but there’s a small chance you might have nachos left over after a party or family gathering. Maybe you overeat and have a lot of food left over from the buffet, yes it has happened to all of us!

Or maybe your guests are running late and the plate of nachos you so lovingly prepared has gone cold. Whatever the reason, you don’t want those delicious nachos to go to waste. In that case, should you reheat them or eat them cold?

Although a cold plate of nachos is perfectly edible, it must be hot to enjoy it to its fullest. This is because as the nachos cool, the cheese will start to harden and become unappetizing.

This can make the whole plate unappetizing and to be honest, it’s a waste of good food to eat the nachos cold!

One word of caution if reheating nachos with a meat topping. Any meat should be thoroughly heated before serving, to reduce the risk of food poisoning.

It may be wise to avoid reheating nachos with meat toppings, as it can be difficult to heat the meat sufficiently without burning the nachos.

Most food experts advise against reheating meats that have been cooked more than once, so if they were already reheated when the nachos were first cooked, they should be discarded.

Why do nachos get soggy when reheated?

One of the big problems with reheating nachos is that you can end up with a horrible pile of soggy tortilla chips.

Not only will they be quite unpleasant to eat, but you won’t be able to pick up the delicious melted cheese and spicy jalapeno peppers - what a waste!

But why do nachos get soggy when reheated? Quite simply, it all comes down to moisture and air.

Nachos are made with corn tortillas, which are cut into triangles and baked or fried until crisp. Like any other type of crunchy food, exposure to air will cause them to quickly go rancid, with a soft, chewy texture.

So as soon as you open your bag of tortillas or finish frying your homemade version, they’ll be exposed to the air and start to get stale and mushy.

And so when we make nachos, we add moisture to our tortilla chips. Most of our favorite nacho toppings, from salsa to cheese, add some amount of liquid to the tortillas.

They are usually sturdy enough to handle this, and will still be relatively stiff when you take them out of the oven. But over time, the moisture will soak the tortillas and they turn into a disgusting soggy mess.

We don’t like a good plate of nachos to go to waste. So let’s take a look at the best ways to reheat nachos, to keep this delicious appetizer at its best.

The best ways to reheat nachos without making them soggy

Well, the rare case of having leftover nachos has already occurred. To enjoy them in the best possible way, you will need to reheat them. But what’s the best way to do it without getting soaked?

First of all, you will have to minimize the ingredients of your original dish. A bunch of tortilla chips loaded with salsa, sour cream, and guacamole is inevitably going to get soggy, whatever you do.

We suggest that you only add baking toppings such as cheese, jalapenos and shredded beef to the nachos to begin with, and you can add the other toppings as you serve.

But if you’ve already loaded the nachos with sauce, will you have to throw them away?

Well, we would never suggest throwing away good food, so the best suggestion we have is to try and scrape up as much of the dressing as possible.

You can even remove the top layer of the tortilla chips to reveal a fresh, sauce-free layer underneath.

Then, just add some shredded queso fresco and sliced jalapenos, and you’re ready to reheat!

The best way to reheat nachos is by using an oven that circulates hot air around the plate. This will help keep the tortilla pieces as crisp as possible, reducing the risk of the reheated sandwich becoming soggy and inedible.

Another way to reheat nachos that can work well is on a direct heat source, such as a skillet or griddle.

Let’s see how each of these methods compare when it comes to reheating nachos.

How to reheat nachos in the oven

Using the oven to reheat the nachos gives you a good chance that they will turn out just as crispy as the first time around.

The success of this method depends on how much extra moisture your nachos have absorbed, so removing any excess sauce is essential.

First, preheat the oven to 300°F. Grab a nonstick cookie sheet and spread the tortillas on the sheet, keeping them in a thin layer.

If you think your nachos could use a little more cheese or jalapenos, add it now.

Reheat the nachos in the oven for 5 minutes. If they are hot and the cheese has melted, they are ready to eat. If not, put them back in the oven for another 2-3 minutes, but remember that nachos burn very easily.

How to reheat nachos in a skillet

Using a skillet is a quick and easy way to reheat nachos, and you’ll get surprisingly good results with this method.

Take a large, clean skillet and spread the nachos evenly across the bottom. You need a fairly thin layer of nachos; otherwise the ones left in the center could get soaked. If necessary, reheat the chips in more than one batch.

Cover the pan with aluminum foil, making sure it is well sealed. If your pan has a lid, you can use that instead.

Covering the pan will raise the heat to a high enough level to heat the nachos quickly and completely.

Put the skillet on a burner over medium heat and cook for 4-5 minutes. At the end of this time, the cheese should be sticky and melting on top of the hot chips. If not, heat them up for another 1-2 minutes.

How to reheat nachos in the air fryer

Air frying is one of the best methods of bringing your leftover nachos back to life, keeping the tortilla chips crisp and light while heating the cheese topping to perfection.

The trick to keeping your leftover nachos crispy is to layer fresh tortilla chips under and on top of them.

To reheat your cold nachos in the air fryer, preheat the fryer to 350°F. Take the basket out of the air fryer and spray it lightly with oil.

Top the bottom of the basket with a layer of fresh tortilla chips, then top with any leftover nachos. Add another layer of fresh tortillas on top and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Put the pan in the air fryer for 4 minutes and check the nachos. If the cheese on top is bubbly and golden, your nachos are ready to eat. If not, gently shake the basket and heat for another 2 minutes.

If you find your nachos getting a bit dry or overcooked during the reheating process, try adding a drizzle of oil next time.

How to reheat nachos in a toaster oven

Today many of us have a small countertop toaster oven instead of a conventional oven. But can these handy gadgets be used to reheat nachos?

Toaster ovens work great for reheating nachos, especially if you only have a small batch to make.

However, it may be a good idea to cover the nachos with aluminum foil when reheating them in the toaster oven, to keep them crisp without burning.

We recommend using a lower heat to reheat the nachos in a toaster oven compared to a conventional oven, and a higher temperature. 15 minutes at 225°F should give you perfectly reheated nachos.

Related questions

Now that we’ve gone over the best ways to reheat nachos in the oven, let’s look at some related questions!

What is the best way to store leftover nachos?

If you have leftover nachos from a party or family gathering, it’s essential that you store them properly to keep them in the best possible condition. You can’t let such a great appetizer go to waste!

Nachos left out at room temperature, uncovered, will quickly become stale and soggy. Once this happens, it will be very difficult to revive them, so the key is to store them correctly.

First, you may need to remove some of the toppings from your nachos. If you’ve stuck to the traditional recipe and just used jalapenos and cheese, you can leave those in instead.

Everything else, such as salsa, guacamole, and sour cream, should be removed as much as possible. You may have to sacrifice some tortilla pieces to do this, especially the ones that are soaked in the sticky sauce.

If you’ve used any meat toppings, such as pulled pork, chicken, chili beef, or sliced steak, consider whether it’s safe to reheat it again.

Most food experts advise against reheating meats that have been cooked more than once , so if they were already reheated when the nachos were first cooked, they should be discarded.

Once you’ve disassembled the nachos, place them in an airtight container with the lid tightly closed. They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

What happens if you reheat the nachos in the microwave?

Who doesn’t like the convenience of the microwave? Being able to pop in a plate of cooked food, push a button or two, and bring out a hot dinner just minutes later is one of the last luxuries of modern convenience.

But unfortunately, there are some foods that do not accept being reheated in the microwave. And sadly, for us, our delicious leftover nachos are one of them.

Microwaves work very differently than other types of cooking and heating methods.

These handy little gadgets shoot electromagnetic waves into food, which heats up the water molecules inside the food. They’re great for reheating soft and liquid foods, but they’re not so good for anything you want to keep crisp.

And when it comes to something like nachos, the end result will likely be a gooey mess of tortilla chips, swimming in melted cheese. Doesn’t sound so appetizing, right?

If the microwave is your only option, there are a few steps you can take to keep your nachos as crispy as possible.

The first one is to use something to absorb excess moisture. A layer of kitchen paper under the nachos works well for this.

Second, you need to reduce the steam circulating around the nachos. Use a shallow or flat plate, making sure it is microwave-safe first. Opening the microwave door at regular intervals to release excess steam will also help.

We suggest you heat the nachos on high power for 20 seconds each time, opening the door to check each time. They should take no more than a minute to fully heat up.

What to do with leftover nachos?

If you have leftover nachos from a party, you can have fun turning them into other delicious Mexican-inspired dishes.

All of these dishes work well with soggy nachos, so if you have some that are beyond salvage, you can turn them into something new and tasty.

Why not turn them into an enchilada-style dish?  Top with black beans, sour cream, and salsa, top with cheese, and bake until bubbly and golden.

You can also try making chilaquiles nachos: nachos in a spicy tomato sauce , topped with a fried egg.

Or, if you’re feeling really rowdy, crumble leftover nachos into a bubbling pot of chicken or vegetable broth for a flavorful soup.